filename: cbSep23.doc
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
September 23, 2002
***THREE (3) STORIES***
1. SENATORS DEFEND COUNTRY'S DIGNITY ON CHINA ISSUE //PERSONA NON GRATA FOR THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR
2. KICK OUT POLICE SCALAWAGS... BIAZON ASK EBDANE
3. KEEP THE SOLDIERS OUT OF THE PDMA FIASCO
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STORY NO. 1
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
September 23, 2002
SENATORS DEFEND COUNTRY'S DIGNITY ON CHINA ISSUE
PERSONA NON GRATA FOR THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR
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Department of Justice Sec. Hernando Perez found allies in the Senate after Senators asked that an arrogant and discourteous Chinese Ambassador be declared "persona non grata."
"Arrogant and discourteous."
These was how Senators described the reaction of Chinese Ambassador Wang Chungui as they urged that Philippine government to immediately act on this"
Senator Noli "Kabayan" de Castro believes that it is the right of every country to defend its dignity when the situation calls for it but should exhaust all peaceful means in resolving the issue.
De Castro said it is very disappointing for the said Ambassador to act that way right inside the room of Justice Secretary who himself sought to declare Chinese Ambassador Wang Chungui persona non-grata and called for his recall by the Chinese government after a shouting and table banging incident over the continued detention of Chinese fishermen for poaching in the internal waters of the country.
In a press conference , Senator Rodolfo Biazon said the ambassador should know the value of good manner and right conduct.
Biazon said it is unbecoming for an ambassador to show such kind of an arrogance to one of our cabinet official.
"I think a diplomatic protest must be taken against him. We expect foreign affair secretary to support Justice Sec. Perez on this matter." Biazon told reporters.
Senator Manuel Villar chided the Chinese for such an act saying the said chinese officials obviously wanted to short cut the law to protect his countrymen.
Villar reminded the Chinese ambassador the importance of due process which the senator said must be given enough respect and must be observed all the time.
But Villar also sees the need for Filipino Ambassadors to embody the same spunk shown by Wang.
"While he behaved in a manner that may be quite arrogant, he also showed that he is very passionate about protecting his own countrymen," said Villar, chair of the Senate committee on Foreign Relations.
Villar adds however, that the same determination in protecting ones own exhibited by Wang should be adopted by Filipino ambassadors in various countries.
"This same determination should be duplicated by our own envoys. If they had this kind of attitude perhaps our countrymen would get better treatment abroad," Villar stressed.
DOJ Sec. Perez has alleged that Wang had shouted at him and pounded on his table when they met to discuss the release of the Chinese fishermen.
The Chinese ambassador allegedly demand the release of 122 chinese fishermen detained for allegedly poaching in Philippine water.///camille p.balagtas NEXT STORY FOLLOWS
STORY NO. 2
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
September 23, 2002
KICK OUT POLICE SCALAWAGS... BIAZON ASK EBDANE
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"Kick them out."
Thus challenged by Senator Rodolfo Biazon who said urged Philippine National Police chief General Hermogenes Ebdane to reveal the names of the scalawag policemen so that the public may be forewarned.
A total of 356 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have been put on the watch list of "rascals in uniform which was recently revealed by the PNP Director.
Sen. Biazon said Ebdane should be firm in implementing a decision as critical as this one.
"It is the duty of Gen. Ebdane to remove these scalawags whatever position and whoever is behind them." Sen. Biazon said in a press conference.
Biazon added: " Preventive is better than curative. They could do more harm if we will allow them to hide by wearing their uniform as public servant. "
The senator expressed alarm that should Ebdane keep delaying to kick out these said officers ,they will cause more harm and might engaged more in their nefarious activities.
According to Ebdane, 132 were considered "incorrigible," meaning those who had committed grave offenses and could not be reinstated into active service.
The others, he added, were facing administrative charges, arising mainly from the discharge of their duties as policemen.
The offenses, according to Ebdane, included dereliction of duty, robbery, extortion and the like.
Ebdane did not say whether there were ranking officers, like chief superintendents, who were on the watchlist.
But a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, that the list of "rogue policemen" ranged from chief superintendents (equivalent to military rank of general) down to Police Officer 1 (PO1) or private in the military.
The source refused to identify the chief superintendents.
The source, however, added that some of the chief superintendents were facing only administrative cases and other "light" offenses in connection with their duties and were not included in the "incorrigible" list.
"There are 356 (PNP) personnel who either face criminal or administrative charges, or are being watched for illegal activities," Ebdane said.
"An action team dedicated to this task has been given a singular directive: No compromise for the guilty."
The action team, Ebdane said, is also keeping a tight watch on the progress of the criminal charges filed in court against about 50 "scalawags in uniform" for extortion and robbery.
"These people were charged in court. Some are (already) in jail," he said.
Ebdane said the action team had already coordinated with the government prosecutors for the speedy resolution of the cases so that the PNP could also take immediate action against the erring lawmen.
"Precisely why General Ebdane must act on his men before the entire institution's name will be sacrifice." Senator Biazon urged.
Earlier Reps. Juan Miguel Zubiri said the public has the right to know the identities of "cops moonlighting as criminals."
"If their names are made public, then their other victims will be encouraged to come out in the open, and this will lead to the successful and speedy prosecution of the case," Zubiri said.///camille p. balagtas NEXT STORY FOLLOWS
STORY NO. 3
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Camille P. Balagtas
People's TONIGHT
September 23, 2002
KEEP THE SOLDIERS OUT OF THE PDMA FIASCO
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Senator Rodolfo G. Biazon today cautioned that the elements who are dragging the soldiers into the controversy related to the overpricing of the construction of the President Diosdado Macapagal Avenue are doing a disservice not only to the Armed Forces of the Philippines but to the country in general.
"Dragging the AFP to this controversy which is reportedly designed to destabilize the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is courting instability," the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security warned.
"Political instability is not what this country needs under the present conditions. It could only contribute further to economic decline and exacerbate the already critical peace and order situation."
The former AFP Chief of Staff asserted, "In the first place, I don't believe the Armed Forces of the Philippines is in such a situation as it can be ripe for adventurism."
Biazon recommended, "I would advice everyone to leave the AFP out of this controversy. In the meantime, an honest to goodness investigation must be done to clarify the real issues."
Biazon filed a Senate Resolution requesting for the clarification of the following issues:
1. Reported P600 million overpricing and payment notonly to Jesusito D. Legaspi Construction (JDLC);
2. Whether the payment in form of land to the other construction firms is not disadvantageous to the government considering the valuation of land.
3. An examination of the charters of both the Public Estates Authority and the GSIS to ascertain if the transaction is governed by the charter rules.
"The President Diosdado Macapagal Avenue which was constructed through a P1.1 billion peso loan from the GSIS will balloon to P1.9 billion in the next 5 years according to the payment schedule and will form part of a public debt that the taxpayers will have to pay."
"This gargantuan loan for a measly 2.3 kilometer portion at the Manila Bay reclamation area constitutes a public indebtedness and burden on the part of the government," Biazon concluded.///camille p. balagtas END
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